[Institute of Rheumatology and progress of antirheumatic therapy]

The paper deals with the achievements of the Institute of Rheumatology in antirheumatic therapy, among them there are methods of objective assessment of antirheumatic drugs, the first use of antimalarials in the treatment of chronic rheumatic fever, discovery of immunodepressive properties of these drugs, specification of the mechanism of action of several NSAIDs. Antilymphocytic globulin, salazopyridazine and the alkylating drug dopan were used for the first time in therapy of rheumatic diseases. Administration of the most potent NSAIDs diclofenac or indomethacin to patients with acute rheumatic fever proved to be as effective as prednizolone. Special attention is paid to the combination treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with NSAIDs. The concurrent administration of aurannofin and methotrexate was shown to cause a more rapid development of clinical improvement than monotherapy with either drug. A combination of gold aurothiomalate and hydroxychloroquine and that of low doses of D-penicillamine and cyclophosphamide had no advantages over monotherapy. Revealing the therapeutical potential of antibodies to interferon-gamma in the treatment of rheumatic arthritis and psoriatic arthritis was the most important achievement of recent years. These studies open new vistas for anticytokine treatment of rheumatic diseases.